Circulating washing-machine.



PATENTED MAY 26, 1908.

W. BARTHOLOMEW. GIRCULATING WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 13, 1907.

srm/n. com. "or

I Allan/g shell and the feed orrron.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO TROY LAUNDRY MACHINERY COMPANY, LIMITED, OF TROY, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

CIRCULATING WASHING-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2c, 1908.

Application filed. April 13, 1907. Serial No. 368,037.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM BARTIIOLO- MEW, citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circulating Washing-Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawin This invention rdlates to a washing machine strainer, and particularly to a machine of that character where the liquid is circulated therethrough.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved construction of strainer interposed between the discharge from the pipe connection therewith so that in the circu ation of the suds or liquid any lint or other solid material will be caught in the strainer and the clogging of the feed pipe or other parts of the system entirely avoided.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction of circulating system and the feed connections therewith by which the suds may be circulated through the machine continuously during the washing operation, and an injector also used to convey these suds to a storage tank from which a valved feed pi e extends to the perforated feed within the s ell.

ap ended claims.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will .be hereinafter set forth and the novel features thereof defined by the n the drawing :Figure 1 is a erspective illustrating the pipe connections or the circulating system relative to a sectorof the shell; Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the shell washing cylinder and cylinder complete taken on the line 2-2, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a centrallongitudinal section of the strainer. I Fig. 4 is a cross section thereof on the line 4'4, Fig.3.

Like numerals refer to ike parts in the several views of the drawing.

The numeral 1 designates'the shell or casing within which the rotatable perforated 2 is mounted in the usual manner. Disposed in one wall of the shell is the feed pipe 3 tured so as to discharge a spray therefrom, this being directed upward, as shown in Fig.

2 to strike the upper portion of the shell and l retained against movement but can be readas shown in Fig. 3.

I from thence it falls in a shower u on the top of the revolving cylinder. The eed pipels capped at its outer end 4 and at its opposite end is provided with a coupling 5 by which communication is established with the supply connections. ter pipe 6 provided with a suitable controlling valve7, a hot water pipe 8 rovided with a controlling valve 9 and a suds supply pipe 10 provided with a controlling valve 11, al of these being connected to the coupling 12 in the usual manner. tion of the shell a discharge connection 13 is disposed so as to drain the liquid therefrom and from the lower portion of this connection the waste pipe 14 supplied with a suitable controlling valve 15 extends to any suitable point. At the upper portion of t e discharge connection the pipe 16 is connected with the injector 17 which is supplied from the feed pipe 18 suitably valved at 19 and extending to any suitable source of steam supply. By connecting the injector feed to the upper portion of the discharge anheavy particles, such as buttons-or pinsfall to the lower portion of the dischar e and are not drawn into the injector with the feed thereof.

From the injector the circulating pipe 20 extends to thestrainer 21 which is connected bythe' pipe 22 preferably with the coupling 5 of the feed pipe. This pipe 22 is also connected with the suds return 23 provided with the controlling valve 24 and discharging at its upper end into the suds tank 25. This tank also communicates at its lower portion with the suds supply pipe 10 so as to feed to the system by gravity.

The strainer 21 comprises a casing pro vided with the inlet 26 and the outlet 27 preferably disposed at right angles to eachother, Within this casing any desired form of strainer may be disposed, for

At the lower por-.

instance, the reticulated cylinder, as shown by the portion 30 of the casing at the feed end thereof, and at the oppositeend by the which is perforated or aperj removable cap 31 threaded into the casing and having a seat 32 for that-end of the cyl indor. The cylinder when mounted is thus at 28 which is provided with angular punched ily removed by simply unscrewing the cap 7 and thus cleansed whenever necessary or de-- sired.

In the operation of the machine the perforated feed pipe which extends for the full length of thes ell gives a uniform heat or feed of hot water and obviates the difficulties experienced when one end of the machine is hot and the other cold. Furthermore, the perforations in this pipe are disposed at such an angle as to throw the water against the inner surface at the top of the shell which allows it to fall onto the top of the cylinder thereby producing a shower or spray on the goods being washed. This washes all lint or other material into the bottom of the machine and prevents their contact with the goods which occurs in constructions where the water enters at the bottom and gradually rises in the machine. Another important advantage of this feed pipe is that whenever the goods being washed are boiled there gathers on the inside of the shell the suds and bleach which accumulate in the machine above that point 25 where the water comes in the rinse by the revolution of the cylinder. This bleach and suds remain at the top and inside of the cylinder and continually drop on the goods,- consequently when the bluing operation is performed the blue will not take on the goods owing to the presence of the suds and bleach. This structure thoroughly cleanses the shell and cylinder when the rinse water is turned into it and requires less water for that pur- 35 pose. I The construction of steam injector ere shown performs the quickest and mostv uniform feed by drawing the water from the discharge connection and heating it in its passage back to the feed pipe so that there is a continual circulation of the boiling water in the cylinder without danger of the steam coming in contact with the goods. This is particularly importantas the steam is injurious to the wooden parts of the machine as well as to the goods because a high pressure of steam separates the fiber and without such pressure the water cannot be brought .to a oiling point in a reasonable time. It has been demonstrated that a pressure in the washer of more than fifteen pounds is injurious to the matefials, and in the injector shown the steam pipe may be connected directly to the boiler and not any pressure of steam occur within the washer as it performs its function in heating and lifting the Water. Immediately upon introducing the steam into the injector the hot water is thrown back into the machine which heats the remaining water and effects a material saving in the steam required to maintain an even temperature throughout the machine and keep-the water in constant circulation. By connecting this injector above the bottom of tlie discharge connection solid articles such as but- 65 tons, pins, etc., will not be drawn therein but feed pipe and also to the suds tank is cleared -'of any solid material which could clog these and the feed just beginning the steam from any material so entering the circulating pipe will be caught by the strainer which 18 disposed in said pipe intermediate of the discharge and feed connections. This strainer having. the roughened inturned edges of its perforations catches and holds all lint, threads or other fibers which can be removed from the interior of the strainer by access through the end so that water passing to the parts. The use of this suds tank is a very important feature in the art as the second suds used in the ordinary wash are amply clean for the first wash of the succeeding load in the machine. Therefore the valve in the return pipe to the feed may be closed and that in the return to the suds tank opened when the injector will act to remove the suds from the washer to the suds tank where they can be retained for the subsequent operation. These valves are then restored to their normal condition and when it is desired to use the suds they can be fed directly into the feed pipe through the supply connection from the tank, while either hot or cold water may likewise be introduced into this tank as these connections are made to the unitary coupling, and when the machine is empty the injector passes up to this supply coupling and not only forces the water or suds through the pipe but heats it at the same time. After the second use of the suds they may be discharged through the waste pipe by simply opening thevalve thereof.

Having now described my invention and set forth its merits, what I claim and desire .to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a circulating washing machine, a 5;

shell, a discharge connection therefrom, a rotatable cylinder in the shell, a feed pipe within the shell disposed parallel to said cylinder, an injector connected to said discharge, a circulating pipe extending from the injector to one end of the shell,'a connection extending from the feed pipe to the circulating p(ilpe, and a straining device disposed at the en of said shell and connecting the circulating pipe and feed connection.

2'. In ,a circulating washing machine, a shell, a discharge connection therefrom, a feed pipe within the shell, an injector connected tosaid discharge, a circulating tpipe' extending from the injector to one end 0 t e 1 0 shell, a valved connection extending from the feed pipe to the circulating pi e, a strain-' ing device disposed between an connected to the circulating pipe and feed connection therefrom, a suds tank, a feed pipe thereto extending from the valved connection, and a su ply connection from said suds tank to the cod pipe in the shell.

3. The combination with a washing machine, of a discharge connection from the bottom of the shell thereof, a feed pipe extending. lengthwise in said shell, a circulating bottom of the shell thereof, a feed pipe extending lengthwise in said shell, a circulating connection between said discharge connection and feed pipe and having an injector communicating with the discharge connection, a suds tank, a valved suds feed connection thereto extending from the circulating connection, a supply connection from the suds tank to the feed pipe, a controlling valve in the circulating connection intermediate of the suds feed and supply pipes, and hot and cold supply pipes connected to the feed pipe at one end thereof.

5. The combination with a washing machine, of a perforated feed pipe therein, a clear water su ply to said pipe, a discharge from said macliine, an injector communicating with said discharge, valved circulating pipes extending from the injector to the feed pipe, a suds tank, a valved feed from one of the circulating pipes to the suds tank, and a valved supply from the suds tank to the feed plpe.

6. The combination withawashing machine, of a perforated feed pipe thereto, a

discharge therefrom, an injector at the discharge, valve circulating pipes extending,

from the injector to the feed pipe, a suds tank, a valved feed from one of the circulating pipes thereto, a valvedsuppl from the suds tank to the feed pipe, a va ved waste pipe extending from the discharge connection, a unitary coupling at one end of said feed pipe, and hot and cold water pipes extending to said coupling.

7. In a washing machine shell, a circulating connection comprising a perforated feed pipe dis osed longitudinally at one side of the shelf: a rotatable cylinder mounted opposite said pipe, a discharge connection at the bottom of said shell, an injector device directly communicating with said discharge connection, and a circulating pipe extending from said injector parallel to the feed pipe and thence upward to the supply end thereof.

8. In a washing machine shell, a circulating connection comprising a perforated feed pipe disposed longitudinally at one side thereof, a rotatable cylinder opposite said pipe, at discharge connection at the bottom of the shell, an injector having a lateral feed pipe communicating with said discharge connection, a circulating pi e extending from said injector parallel to the feed pipe, and a sup ly connection coupled to one end of said feer p pe and communicating with the circulatlng pipe. j

9. In a washing machine shell, a circulating connection comprising a perforated feed pipe disposed longitudinally at one side thereof, a rotatable cylinder op osite said pipe, a discharge connection at t e bottom of said shell, an injector device directly communicating with said discharge connection, I

a circulating pipe extending from said injector to the feed pipe, a supply connection coupled to one end of said feed pipe and communicating with the circulating pipe, and an inde endent supply connectlon coupled with t e first mentioned supply.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM BARTHOLOMEW.

' Witnesses:

C. I. BELKNAP, WM. S. CROGMAN. 

